By Every Definition
by shaolin103
Summary: ...aka 5 Times Tony Kissed Steve Behind the Faceplate and the One Time He Didn't. Summary: Tony was just glad JARVIS resided inside his helmet and wasn't programmed into a PA system that broadcasted to the whole world. Served Tony right for being too much of a genius to actually program an AI with an attitude that could rival his own. Pairing: Steve/Tony. *Complete*
1. Chapter 1

Title: By Every Definition aka 5 Times Tony Kissed Steve Behind The Faceplate and the One Time He Didn't (1/2)  
Fandom: The Avengers  
Summary: Tony was just glad JARVIS resided inside his helmet and wasn't programmed into a PA system that broadcasted to the whole world. Served Tony right for being too much of a genius to actually program an AI with an attitude that could rival his own.  
Rating: PG-13 (some violence)  
Spoilers: Captain America The First Avenger; The Avengers (2012)  
A/N: I've only seen the movies. So, apologies in advanced for the lack of knowledge of anything that's from the comics. Also, unbetaed, so mistakes are solely mine. Most of all, first time writing in this fandom, take it easy on me, please.  
Disclaimer. Not mine. They belong to the geniuses that created them.

* * *

By Every Definition (Five Times Tony Kissed Steve Behind the Faceplate and the One Time He Didn't) 1/2

**1st time**:

Iron Man dodged as another volley of cannon fire headed his way. He fired back with his own blasts of repulsor rays and flew over to the adjacent building to take cover.

Tony searched the vicinity. Steve was out here somewhere. They were waiting for the others to arrive for lunch when the call came in on some sort of aerial attack a few blocks from their restaurant. Tony barely had his suit on when the reverberating sounds of cannon fire shook the ground.

"JARVIS, where's Steve?" Tony could've sworn Steve was just nearby but the young man didn't come in his Captain America uniform, making it harder to spot him in his civvies amidst the chaos.

"He's by the docks, sir." Came JARVIS' reply.

Before Tony could contemplate how Steve got by the docks so fast, he spotted the other man just in time to see him leap over the marina and straight toward an attack helicopter hovering over the waters. There were bullets and missiles flying over the pier, the pilot firing at everything and everyone within range.

Steve landed on the helicopter's windscreen and wasted no time in punching through the glass. He grabbed hold of the pilot, pulling the flailing man out of the cockpit and throwing him out into the ocean.

Tony whooped in triumph at the display. Not even slightly bothered when the helicopter, sans pilot, dangerously tilted forward and nosedived straight into the waters below.

With Steve still clinging on its front.

He waited anxiously for Steve to resurface but was forced to take his eyes off the marina in favor of dodging another volley of cannon fire.

"Sir, the building to your right. It's about to collapse." JARVIS warned. Tony spared a final glance toward the marina, confident that Steve would (or by now) have resurfaced and concentrated on the crisis at hand. "Judging from its angle, it'll land on that walkway in less than five seconds." JARVIS went on in an urgent tone.

Tony had barely enough time to aim well-placed repulsor blasts against the falling infrastructure to avoid so-called walkway (filled with people filing out of the danger zone and into relative safety) from being crushed. It was only then that he realized a miscalculation when part of the debris landed on a nearby bridge, the damage, leaving a sizeable gap right in the middle of it.

Tires screeched as motorists tried to avoid the gaping hole. Tony had to fly down to help some civilians out of the wreckage. He spent the next minutes airlifting injured civilians to safety.

"JARVIS, where are Thor and the others?" He asked the AI, grunting as he hefted a sedan precariously hanging off the damaged bridge, occupants rather shaken but relatively fine.

Tony didn't know how long they had been fending off culprits and helping civilians. All he knew was, he and Steve (who probably needed a bit of drying off by now after that unscheduled dip in the water) could really use some back up.

"They are en route, sir. ETA two minutes." Came the reply. "Also, Captain Rogers has yet to resurface, sir." JARVIS went on.

"WHAT!?" Tony exclaimed in alarm at the report. "How long has it been?"

"Eleven and a half minutes, sir." JARVIS supplied.

Tony couldn't contain the panic building up. "How could he still not be back up?" He asked, more to himself than his AI. He frantically raced for the docks, ignoring the cannon fires and the chaos. All he could think of was getting to Steve. The others will be there in two minutes. They will take care of the rest. Right now, Steve was his priority.

Eleven and a half minutes underwater. No ordinary human could survive being under that long. He's banking on Steve's superhuman trait because with the super soldier serum, Steve _may_ last that long.

He reached the docks in no time, diving straight down and descending fast into the murky waters that he barely made a splash. It was dark down there. Dark enough that it made it hard to find a black helicopter let alone a possibly unconscious super soldier.

Tony spotted the helicopter. It was JARVIS that spotted Steve. Trapped between said helicopter and the ocean floor. Tony's heart raced, trepidation and dread mixed together, making him feel sick to his stomach. Just when thoughts of how puking inside his helmet would probably result in him drowning, he caught movement.

Pinned down under a helicopter for over ten minutes. Tony thought Steve wouldn't have stood a chance. Tony had been assuming the worst.

But Steve was moving, struggling albeit weakly to get out from under the heavy weight of the vehicle.

The relief that followed got Tony's adrenaline pumping. He quickly reached Steve's side, almost missing the grateful, relieved look on the young man's face at Tony's arrival. They both tried to push the offending vehicle off Steve. When it didn't budge so easily, Tony blasted the tail end off. By then, Steve's struggles had been weak, too weak to even try and wriggle out from under the now less heavy thing pinning him. Which left Tony to push the remnants of the helicopter off by himself.

He ordered JARVIS to put all remaining power into thrusters and wasted no time in gathering Steve against him. He ascended for the surface, blasting out of the water like a warhead bent on bringing down a city.

Tony could hear the gasps as Steve tried hard to breathe in air back into oxygen-deprived lungs. He winced at the hacking cough that followed. It sounded painful. Painful enough that Tony took pity on the blonde and tried to rub his back in comfort, all too aware that he was also making soothing noises against the other man's ear.

This isn't anything like him; he's never one to show affection in these situations. It was usually distract with inappropriate jokes or just plain avoid it and leave. Let someone else (Pepper) handle it.

Finding a way to make it better with soothing sounds or holding them closer against him just so Tony can assure them (and himself) that they were safe was the total opposite of what he usually does.

No.

This. Is. Not. Him.

"Tony." Steve finally spoke between gasps and coughs. "Thank you." The gratitude in those words was so palpable Tony had to restrain himself from embracing the man tighter against him some more. But it was Steve's arms that tightened around his neck.

"What the hell happened, Steve?" Because conflicting emotions aside, there was still frustration at how close he lost Steve because the damn kid couldn't jump off a nose-diving helicopter to save his life.

"I c-couldn't." Steve tried to explain between shallow breaths. Tony knew he should be flying them to a nearest hospital right now but moving wasn't an option. Especially when Steve started heaving over his shoulder, vomiting dirty water out of his system.

They were hovering in the air, vertical. Steve was held against him in an embrace, both of the super soldier's booted feet resting atop Tony's own metal-cladded ones. Tony didn't know if it was JARVIS' doing or by his own instinct that they were both perfectly balanced in mid-air, held up by just the thrusters of his armored feet because both of his arms were definitely busy hugging Steve.

"Couldn't what, Steve?" The exasperated tone was gone, replaced by deep concern when Steve just buried his face against Tony's neck.

"Froze…plane going down…couldn't get out…metal…crushing…dark…cold…felt like dying…again." The words were garbled and muffled and still spoken between gasps and dry heaves but Tony understood it all the same.

"Just breathe, buddy." Tony said, rubbing Steve's back some more. Because what else could he have said to that? Steve had thought he was crashing again, about to die another painful death under a large metal contraption, water everywhere trying to engulf him. Like it did seventy years ago.

So, they hovered over the water for another few minutes and waited for the hacking and heaving to subside.

"Better?" Tony asked after awhile, pushing Steve back to stare at bloodshot eyes. He frowned in concern at the pale, shivering form but was relieved all the same when Steve gave him a short nod in reply. "Hang tight, then. Let's get you to a hospital." Tony said as he slowly gathered Steve back against him.

Maybe it was because of his conflicting emotions or the gripping fear and worry still gnawing at him that for some unknown reason, Tony turned his head slightly towards Steve's face and as Steve's cheeks brushed past the faceplate, Tony found himself planting a soft kiss against it.

Tony froze. The kiss was soft enough not to have made a sound and he's pretty sure it wasn't audible enough for the voice modulator to catch. Steve may not have heard or even felt it. He waited for any sort of reaction but all Steve did was tighten his arm around the armor in preparation for the flight. Tony huffed a sigh of relief.

"Did you just kiss him, sir?" Apparently, that was the shortest sigh of relief in human history. Tony was just glad JARVIS resided inside his helmet and wasn't programmed into a PA system that broadcasted to the whole world. Served Tony right for being too much of a genius to actually program an AI with an attitude that could rival his own.

"Shut up, JARVIS." He gritted out in annoyance instead.

"Was just curious, sir. It looked a lot like you did. Even made a soft, smacking noise."

And damn if that sounded far too all knowing for an AI.

**2nd time:**

"Maybe you could just point it out…"

"I don't have that ability, sir."

Tony stepped out of the elevator in time to hear the tail end of a conversation between Steve and JARVIS. Judging from their tones of voices, he wasn't sure which of them sounded more frustrated – the national icon or his AI.

"How am I supposed to learn all of these when you can't point out which buttons to push?"

"And how, per se, am I supposed to point out which buttons to push when I'm not equipped with limbs?"

Was it just Tony or was JARVIS sounding insecure amidst all the snippiness?

"What's going on, JARVIS?" Tony asked the AI from inside his helmet, amazed by his own genius when JARVIS answered him with a still snippy reply of -_I am attempting to educate Captain Rogers on how to operate the home theatre system, sir_- even when he can still hear the pair arguing in the living room.

Artificial Intelligence trying to teach Ancient Intelligence the ways of technology, now that's something. Tony chuckled lightly at the thought.

Tony entered the living room. Steve's back was on him. The only part of his body visible was his head of hair, blonde as ever, peeking out of the big leather couch facing the television.

"Don't you have those laser pointers. Like the ones SHIELD uses for like, presentations? Tony's gotta have you equipped with that."

"I **_am _**equipped with lasers. The kind of lasers that have red dots that show which part of the target I'm supposed to shoot. Would you like me to use that, Captain?"

"Nope. He doesn't have that anymore. I no longer build weapons of mass destruction. Turned over a new leaf and everything. So no lasers here." Tony announced loudly. Because at some point in an argument, when one threatened to shoot the other (even with non-existing weaponry) someone has got to intervene, right? Tony's just not sure how he's managed to become the mediator rather than the instigator this time.

Steve turned, startled when Tony spoke up. But the startled look gave way to an amused grin when he saw what Tony was (or was not) wearing.

"Either the rest of your suit is still in the laundry or you are the new face of Bobbleheads 'R Us." Steve said, bright blue eyes twinkling in amusement. Tony couldn't see his whole face (still obscured by the back of the couch) but he's pretty sure there's a teasing smirk in there too.

"Maybe. Maybe not." Tony replied with a snort. "But I did just sneak up on you, though." He said matter-of-factly, walking much closer to the couch for a much better view of the super soldier.

"Oh, so you're working on your stealth then." Judging from the smirk, Steve wasn't done teasing.

"If you must know, I am improving my sensors to include olfactory functions."

"Oh yeah? How so?" Tony's not sure if Steve was just humoring him or genuinely interested in the topic. Or perhaps he was still teasing. Ever since the helicopter incident, Steve had been hanging out in the mansion a lot. Back then, it had only been visits for courtesy calls, but these days the visits had been less formal and more for the sake of being somewhere near Tony. The billionaire didn't know what to think of it truthfully speaking, but he's found that after a few of those informal visits, he didn't mind having Steve around one bit.

He answered Steve's query anyway and spent the next ten minutes trying to bombard Steve's brain with talks of various theories, algorithms and formulas and whatever his unfiltered brain can supply about his latest project. If Steve was asking just to tease then there was no way he had been listening for the last ten minutes to Tony ramble on about distance, wind speed, and humidity.

"So you're trying to teach your helmet how to smell." Huh, maybe Steve was genuinely interested in the topic.

"Basically. Yes, I'm trying to teach my helmet how to smell. That's why all I have with me now is my head gear because it's all I need." Tony said, gesturing to his helmet.

"Sounds swell." Steve said, giving Tony a very visibly impressed smile, which made Tony's heart skip a bit. "But I like the bobblehead explanation better. So if anybody asks let's stick with that." And just like that, the teasing grin was back and Tony'd be damn if the sight of Steve with a happy smirk didn't make his heart skip faster.

"You've been hanging out with Clint too much." Tony said, feigning annoyance to hide whatever feelings he was starting to develop. "Has he been teaching you how to irritate my AI, too?" He asked with a somewhat disapproving lift of an eyebrow.

Steve's expression quickly turned into a pout. "It's just…" Steve started, nervously turning over the TV remote in his hand. "I've been trying to get JARVIS to teach me how to work this thing." He went on, waving the remote to indicate the home theatre system.

"And?" Tony asked, prompting Steve to elaborate.

It was never hard to teach Steve anything. From using his SHIELD issued laptop, to driving an automatic or working a microwave, heck, even to operate one of Tony's more advanced tools. Steve had been easy to educate. His brain grasped information fast and then practically translated it in the real world within minutes of being taught. Teaching him how to work the home theatre system shouldn't be that hard.

"Well, if you look here." Steve said raising the clicker at eye level. "The buttons are a bit faded. So, no matter how many times JARVIS tells me to push the 'mode' button, I can't find it because even with enhanced eyesight I can't read the darn words in this thing." He finished, pout still in place but now coupled with a frown of frustration.

"Hmm," Tony said as he took the object to inspect it. "Clint's been doing too much channel surfing and TIVOing. Guy's attention span's so whacked I'm surprised the buttons are the only ones damaged. This thing should already be broken in half by now." Tony muttered, almost to himself.

"He asked me to TIVO some shows. He told me just to tell JARVIS which shows to record but I wanted to learn how to do it myself." Steve explained, slightly embarrassed.

"Nothing wrong with trying to learn stuff, Cap." Tony said, reaching over to ruffle Steve's hair when the blonde gave him a grateful smile. "Clint's been making you do all the dirty work, huh?"

"Well, Thor has his own list. So does Dr. Banner. So it's not just Clint." Steve said sheepishly.

"And what's in it for you?" Tony asked, intrigued at the story behind the sheepish grin. He leaned forward, resting against the back of the couch and went down to a kneeling position so as to look at Steve at eye level.

"Clint promised to bake me homemade cookies after he gets back from his mission, Thor agreed to bring back some of that Asgardian mead you liked so much and Dr. Banner said that if I can record reruns of _Friends_ he'll let me take Hulk out in the desert so we can practice throwing me less painfully." Steve said in one fluid motion, grin still in place.

"The big guy does need to learn how to aim." Tony said with a chuckle, remembering fondly that Hulk's new favorite word other than '_Smash' _was now _'Toss'_, especially when it was Steve giving the command. The jolly, green giant wasn't fond of anyone but the amount of attention he gave Steve was practically bordering on adoration. That's a lot of affection in Hulk terms. "And thank you for the mead." Tony said, genuinely grateful. The thought that Steve had bargained DVR work for something not for himself but for Tony made Tony's heart ache. No one did that for him anymore.

"I'll share Clint's cookies with you, too, if you help me work this." Steve said, tapping the remote control in Tony's hand.

"You better." Tony challenged back. He wasn't really into Clint's cookies. Other than doughnuts, his taste for sweets weren't that varied. But Steve has a sweet tooth that could rival Thor's and sharing said cookies with Steve would just give Tony enough excuse to be with him more. So, he was not about to turn down that opportunity.

It only took Tony fifteen minutes to teach Steve every aspect of the home theatre system. There was a bit of trial and error on Tony's part when the faded buttons did get in the way of teaching the other man the basics. But other than that, 'Operation: Teach Captain America to Program the DVR So That His Friends Can Feed Him Cookies, Give Him Mead (meant for another friend), and Catapult Him Repeatedly Over the Mojave Desert' – went on without a hitch.

"Thanks, Tony." Steve said, tearing his gaze from the television to look at Tony behind him as he finished programming all the shows that needed recording into the DVR. "This would have been an absolute nightmare if it weren't for you." He went on with a tender smile.

"Nah, you'd have figured it out yourself." Tony replied. And since when was he so self-deprecating? "JARVIS would have taught you as easily." And now he was turning over compliments to his ingrate of an AI.

"Easily shot me, is what you mean." Steve said, rolling his eyes. "Let's not forget. He did threaten to shoot me with lasers."

"Like I said, they no longer exist." Tony assured him. "You know, if the guys get used to getting you to DVR shows for them, you should demand they buy you your own home theatre system at your own apartment. Then maybe I wouldn't have to hear you and my AI bickering like there's no tomorrow in here." Tony said with a knowing smirk behind the faceplate.

"Uhm, they did offer." Steve said, sheepish look once again appearing on the innocent face. "I told them that since they already live here, it'd be pointless to do it at home when I can just come over." He said with an uncertain shrug. "Besides, I like coming here. Bickering AI and all." Softly this time, but Tony was close enough to hear it.

"I, too, enjoy having you around, Captain Rogers." JARVIS announced out of nowhere. "Bickering super soldier and all." The AI added, making Steve's face light up in amusement. It's then that Tony realized that time had passed with him just kneeling against the back of the couch, staring at Steve with a stupid look on his face, still reeling from his last remark. He was lucky JARVIS had seen him sputter from inside the helmet.

He didn't know whether to be grateful or embarrassed that the AI had to step in and cover for him.

"Yeah," Tony said, clearing his throat when his voice came out raspy. Must be because his heart was lodged somewhere in his esophagus. "Me, too." He went on, firmly this time.

Because it's true. He loved having Steve around.

He liked it when Steve dropped by to talk strategy with Natasha or sparred with Thor. Savored it when he puttered around in the kitchen with Clint, whisk at hand, smirk in place because he got the archer to give in to baking him cookies by merely flashing a tentative smile. Enjoyed it when Steve sat through Bruce's multitude of lab tests and blood extractions, in different states of undress, if he might add.

Treasured it when Steve would bound restlessly in his lab, a book clasped in his hand and tucking himself into Tony's day cot to read, but only after an offer to help has been politely turned down by Tony himself because as much as he loved watching Steve start up a chainsaw or work a wrench with sweat soaking his shirt and grease tainting that beautiful face, he loved it more when he got to watch Steve tuck himself in a corner to read a book, a finger tapping against his lip in immense concentration at one moment and falling asleep sprawled against the thin mattress the next.

Tony should probably tell him all this, really. Steve deserved more than a 'me, too' echoed off of JARVIS' statement. Tony had issues, everyone knew that. So, if all he could spare at that moment was a barely there tap of his faceplate on top of Steve's head as he got up from his kneeling position, then that was all he could give the universe right now.

Of course underneath the helmet was a different story. There was a well-placed kiss when the metal made the slight contact with Steve's head. An inhale of breath to take it all in as he got up. And finally, an exhale that sounded a lot like a longing sigh as he turned and walked away

It was only when JARVIS relayed the chemical contents of Steve's shampoo did he realize that his olfactory program had worked. By then, he was already by the elevators and could no longer find the courage to turn back and tell Steve the good news.

**3rd time:**

Tony wasn't sure what was going on. He was pretty sure of the head wound, though, if the sticky, coppery smell of blood he can feel dripping on the side of his face was any indication. He could hear voices, none he could pick off. Not even JARVIS who was a constant presence in his head, with or without the Iron Man suit.

Everything sounded out of whack. Until one distinct voice rang out and everything started to blur into focus.

Painfully.

"Tony, can you hear me?"

That voice. It was Steve's. So he hung on to it. Allowed it to ground him. He knew there were others, could hear them even, but none of them he could recognize so he honed in on Steve's and didn't let go.

"No, Thor. Don't yank it off. It's dented in. You might hit skin."

Dented? His head gear? Possible, yes. Dented enough that it had already hit skin and broke it.

"Give me the blowtorch."

So, this was how it' was going to be. Freed with the Jaws of Life by a blowtorch wielding national icon. God, help him, but he's scared.

"I can do it. He taught me how."

And somehow, the conviction in that voice chased the fear away. He did teach Steve how to use every tool in his lab. Tony had taught him well. He could trust Steve with this one.

"Tony." He heard Steve call out. This time Tony opened his eyes. He wasn't sure if the helmet's eyes also lit up though. Judging from the non-reaction of the blurry faces in front of him, it hadn't.

He was surprised to find himself lying on the tiled floor of his own workshop. What the hell happened?

"Tony," Steve called out again, tone almost pleading for his attention. "We need to take the faceplate off but it's lodged. I have to use some tools." One of Steve's hands was laid against the side of his faceplate, Tony didn't feel it, didn't even know how long Steve had it laid there. "Please give me a sign that you're okay in there."

It was hard and painful but not as painful as hearing the helplessness in Steve's voice. So, Tony moved his head slowly toward the hand cradling his face and placed a reassuring kiss on the palm.

Steve's face lit up at the movement. He may not have felt the kiss but the sluggish movement was enough to erase the look of desperation on his face.

"Don't move, Tony. I'll get this off in no time. You'll be okay."

And Tony believed him. There was no reason not to.

**-OOOOOO-**


	2. Chapter 2

**4****th ****time:**

It's Red Skull. He's back. Seemed the Universe wanted to keep itself balanced by returning Captain America's arch nemesis to the living world. Tony wanted to yell and curse at the Universe's face. Just because Steve's back to the waking world didn't give the Universe the right to also bring back the villainous man who had caused him so much pain in the past.

He's wreaking havoc in US soil, complete with a battalion of HYDRA agents armed with heavy artillery. Captain America's tensed by Iron Man's side. The arm Tony had draped around his waist was tight as he set to land them on a nearby rooftop. The whole flight going there was silent. Steve's jaw was set, mouth a thin line and his fist clenched so tight Tony's pretty sure he'd cut the skin of his palm if he hadn't been wearing his gloves.

Tony wished he could say something to ease the tension. There's anger there that was certain. He's not concerned about Steve jeopardizing the mission. Unsurprisingly, Steve's a lot more focused when HYDRA was involved. They had talked strategy before they even left HQ. Everything was in place. All they needed was a good execution and this mission would be flawless.

What concerned Tony though, was Red Skull himself. He had vowed to bring Steve down. To finish off Captain America the way he intended to finish him seventy years ago. As violently as possible. The Red Skull had revealed in detail all of this in a helicarrier-wide broadcast. Every Avenger and SHIELD agent heard it.

No one threatened one of their own. Especially Captain America.

Tony sent out a comm to the others before jumping with Cap off the quinjet ahead of them. _"Keep an extra eye on Steve."_ He had told them_._The determined look Thor and the rest gave him spoke volumes. Tony didn't have to say anything - they're already on the look out. Even the Hulk just gave him a solemn nod.

"Steve." Tony said, tightening the arm around Steve's waist to get his attention. It's the first word he's spoken to him since all this began. "They're gonna be gunning for you." He continued, tone oozing of concern. They're nearing their positions and Tony had to say something before he set Steve down.

"I know, Tony." Steve said softly, squeezing Tony's waist with the same intensity Tony could feel it under the armor.

"Please be careful." Tony pleaded, turning his head to kiss Steve on the temple.

This time, he didn't care about being subtle.

**5th time:**

Steve wasn't careful.

"Damn it, Steve!" Tony exclaimed. Frustration. Fear. Panic.

Steve's in his arms, unconscious and bleeding profusely. There's a HYDRA agent in a jetpack – a jetpack, for crying out loud - flying behind them. Tony was faster though, even with a super soldier that's practically dead (please, God, no) weight in his arms. He's zooming up in the air, cutting through clouds, determined to get Steve back to the helicarrier to get him the medical attention he so desperately needed.

"Sir, he's got a lock on you." JARVIS warned and Tony held Steve tight against him, bracing for impact as he heard the unmistakable whoosh of a missile heading their way.

Missiles, jetpacks and other heavy artillery in the hands of Red Skull and HYDRA agents. It had been their downfall.

_The aerial attack had been brutal. As soon as Tony dropped Steve off that rooftop, bullets and missiles and bazookas came flying at him all at once. They had fired at the quinjet, (Thor, the Hulk, Clint and Natasha still inside) before it had even landed. Next thing Tony knew Red Skull had Steve surrounded, on his own, against a dozen HYDRA agents and an enraged Red Skull hacking at him with about thirty different kinds of blades growing out of his body._

_It took half of the Arc Reactor's power to take down the heavy machineries aimed at Tony, by the time he asked JARVIS about Captain America's status, Steve was already unconscious and bleeding in fifty different places. The Hulk was already there, fighting off the clearly genetically modified version of the Red Skull. And it wasn't fair that Red Skull got to come back upgraded._

_Damn, the Universe._

_The Hulk's positioned himself between Red Skull and Steve's unconscious form, his bulk protecting Steve from any oncoming onslaughts from the sadistic beings in front of him. Tony blasted the other Hydra agents as he approached and Hulk paused long enough to turn and scoop Steve in his arms to hand him gently to Tony._

"_Go." Hulk had grunted at him before turning and barreling towards the people who had hurt Steve, roaring and rampaging the way he did best._

And now Tony was bracing himself for impact, a huge ass missile blazing at him, intent on blowing him and Steve out of the sky. And it's the thought that he might not get Steve to the helicarrier alive that's killing him.

But the impact never came.

There's a bolt of lightning and the missile lost its speed, halting in midair and dropping into the atmosphere. Thor's hovering behind him, hammer gathering lightning and wind as he sent bolt after bolt of lightning and gust after gust of strong winds toward the Hydra agents in jetpacks tailing Iron Man.

Tony didn't stop, didn't have time to convey to Thor the gratitude and relief he was feeling. He will thank him later. After Steve's okay. Only after Steve's okay. Because if Steve wasn't okay after all this. Tony wasn't going to thank Thor.

He was going to brawl against him for not getting there quick enough. He was going to rampage against the Hulk for not covering Steve well enough. He was going to shoot at Clint and Natasha for not helping enough. He was going to rebel against SHIELD for not being smart enough.

He was going to revolt against the Universe because enough was enough.

"So, you better be okay, Steve." He yelled at the unconscious man in his arms, aware of the tears that were threatening to fall. "Because if I lose you." He whispered harshly against the unconscious man's ear. "The world will fall to its knees." He swore with a tight sob.

He landed on the tarmac of the helicarrier and ran to meet the awaiting SHIELD Medical Personnel. Fury was there, pushing the gurney with the rest of them. There were words coming out of his mouth. Tony wasn't sure if they were directed at him or at someone else.

He stared at the unconscious man in his arms before laying him against the gurney. "I'm going back." Tony said to no one in particular, eyes still glued at the injured man. He carefully pulled off the cowl; blood gushing out of the head wound Tony didn't even know had been there. He bent down and kissed Steve in the forehead, paying no heed to the doctors frantically assessing the injuries. "I'm taking the Red Skull down." He said, looking up at Fury this time.

There's blood on his faceplate. There's blood on the armor. There's blood dripping from his fingers onto the black tarmac floor. They're not his but Iron Man was bleeding.

Steve was whisked into medical bay and Iron Man took off. He was going to bring Red Skull to his knees. And if that wasn't enough. The world will follow.

Because that was what he told Steve.

Because that was what he promised.

**And the One Time:**

Steve was okay and the world didn't fall to its knees. The Red Skull though, was a different story.

Steve still had injuries on him. It had been three weeks and he wasn't fully healed. Not even with the super healing ability. It was a clear indication of how badly he got hurt. He had spent five days in the ICU, and was touch and go as Agent Coulson had told him. No one knew if he was going to make it or not.

But he was okay now. He's still got his left arm in a cast; there still were bandages around his torso and staples on his shins. But he was fine.

Relatively speaking.

He's been out of the hospital for about four days now. Still hurting, yes. But the relief of being back into the real world had been such a huge welcome. He was happy to see the others outside of the hospital. They looked less haggard and troubled now that Steve's no longer fighting for his life.

Steve felt a lot guilty about that. He said as much to Bruce. But Bruce practically snapped at him and said it was stupid to feel guilty for worrying people. Then promptly apologized for his outburst. Turned out, the Hulk had been trying to come out for the past three weeks, wanting to see Steve.

"These four days had been worse." Bruce had said that morning. "Now that you're okay, I think he just wants to come out and make sure." He went on, tiredly. The guilt came back then. The thought that he had the Hulk worried, too and that it was driving Bruce crazy made him feel bad. He squashed that feeling and didn't say anything to Bruce anymore for fear that he might snap at him again.

"You still owe me tossing practice with him for recording _Friends _reruns." He told Bruce instead and felt less guilty when he got a resounding laugh in return.

They settled in the living room for the rest of the morning to watch so called reruns. Bruce was up to season five by now and told Steve that watching the show helped calm him a lot. Steve nodded because he knew.

Steve had wanted to go home to his apartment in Brooklyn once he was deemed fit enough to leave the hospital but Fury put a damper on that when he was ordered to stay at Tony's mansion where Doctor Banner can keep an eye on him, at least until his arm was out of its cast.

That had been four days ago, the cast was still there but he was still itching to go home.

Bruce watched _Friends _reruns, usually after replacing his bandages and cleaning the staple wounds.

Thor waited for him to doze off (usually in front of the television) so that he can carry him to the guest room.

Natasha followed him around the house like a ninja and was always there anticipating Steve's needs, whether it'd be a glass of milk, a towel, or his meds.

Clint baked him five batches of cookies his first day back from the hospital and cooked all his meals and brought it to him. The archer always stayed and made sure he ate them whether he was hungry or not.

Those were their ways of coping. So Steve let them.

Still, Steve wanted to go home. Even with all the people in it, the mansion felt so empty. Tony's mansion reminded him a lot of, well, Tony. He used to love visiting Tony here. Except, Tony's never home these days.

Because Tony's way of coping, was to avoid Steve completely.

JARVIS had told Steve that Tony had been away in California for business for the past three weeks. When asked when Tony would come home, JARVIS just answered, _soon_.

So, for the past three nights, Steve waited outside Stark Mansion, sitting at the edge of the platform where Tony stripped off his Iron Man suit when he would arrive wearing it. He's got one of those thermal lunch boxes propped next to him. Tonight, its contents consisted of Tony's favorite Shawarma. Last night, it had been his favorite cheeseburger. The other night, was his favorite roast chicken. The first night back, was a batch of Clint's cookies. Luckily for Steve, Thor's the type who was always hungry so those didn't really go to waste.

He breathed in the night air and watched the city. It was a peaceful night, the view from where he was perched was beautiful. He lied back onto the floor and just looked up. The stars were particularly bright tonight.

That was how Tony found him. His good arm raised high, tracing constellations with his fingers, his feet dangling and swinging playfully by the edge.

Tony cocked his head to the side, perplexed. He wasn't expecting to come home to the sight of Steve, stargazing by the side of his mansion. He hovered quietly for a moment, not sure if Steve heard him flying in or not.

He contemplated turning back; he was not ready for this. Not ready to face a healthy looking Steve when all he saw in his waking dreams was a battered and bloodied one.

"Hello, Tony." The voice startled him so much, one of his thrusters sputtered and he almost fell out of the sky. It was Steve who spoke, eyes still staring up the night sky. He had known Tony had been there all along.

"Hey, Steve." Tony's voice broke. He got his thrusters under control and went back to hovering. He'd have liked to take the armor off and go inside his house to hide but Steve's claimed his platform and the truth was, he couldn't really hide forever.

"Are you hungry?" Steve asked, finally sitting up to look at him. "I got dinner." He went on, tapping the thermal lunch box by his side.

"Uh, sure." Tony replied hesitantly. Steve had this tentative smile Tony loved so much. The one he could never resist. He's got that on now and Tony's resolve was just wavering. He missed Steve. Missed him more than anything else in this world. He should have visited Steve at the hospital. Heck, should have stayed with him 'til he was okay. That's what a good friend would have done.

But watching Steve almost die put him in such a dark place he could barely stay afloat. He became angry and violent. The Red Skull was a living witness to that. Well, maybe not so living.

"Fly me." Steve said, holding his good arm out.

"What?"

"Fly me." Steve said again, picking himself off the floor and not caring that he's precariously perched on the edge of the eighth floor of the Mansion.

"Uhh, not a good idea." Tony said. "Not with one arm in a cast and three still broken ribs and a fractured leg." He went on, exasperated. What was Steve playing at? He's still hurt.

"Has Doctor Banner been updating you of my condition?" Steve asked, curious.

"No, JARVIS has."

"Oh okay. Coz I thought, you know. I mean…you never came and visit. I thought, maybe." Steve was stammering and Tony couldn't help it. He flew closer, wanting so much to just gather Steve in his arms but pushed the urge to do so away.

"I've been monitoring your condition. Ever since I dropped you off the helicarrier. I had JARVIS access all of the equipment attached to you, all the doctors' and nurses' reports. Everything." Tony explained frantically. The last thing he wanted Steve to think was Tony abandoned him.

"Oh." Steve said, still slightly confused. "So, dinner?" He asked again, tentative smile back in place.

"Your wounds."

"I'm fine, Tony. They're getting better."

"I dunno."

"I've got shawarma." Steve said in a singsong voice and swung the bag by his side back and forth, making Tony chuckle. God, how he missed that smile.

"Fine. Bruce will probably kill me but what the hell." Tony finally gave in. "Zip up. It's a cold night." He told the other man, flying over to zip Steve's jacket up himself when Steve just grinned at him and wiggled the fingers of his cast covered arm at him.

He waited as Steve adjusted the strap of the thermal lunch box with one hand and secured it across his body. "Let's go then." Steve said, reaching out to drape his good arm around Tony's shoulders.

"Nowhere far, okay." Tony said softly, noting the look of pain on Steve's face when Tony wrapped an arm around his waist.

Turned out Tony's 'nowhere far', was the Statue of Liberty.

"I'm pretty sure this is at least vandalism." Steve said, looking apprehensive.

"We're not defacing it or anything. We're just sitting on top of her head." Tony said, patting Lady Liberty on her head almost tenderly. "I would have taken you to my usual spot, this big doughnut hole I used to hangout in back when….but it's all the way in California. I didn't want to take you that far with your injuries. we don't want Bruce that mad, if you know what I mean. Now you said something about dinner?" Tony was rambling, that much he knew.

Steve just grinned and started unpacking the lunch box. His movements were precise, even with just one functioning arm. Tony found it hard to believe that Steve was here beside him acting as if they were just on a picnic when three weeks ago he had been dying in his arms, bleeding so hard Tony had nightmares for days. He remembered the blood gushing out of Steve's head when he pulled the cowl off, the wound barely visible now. The next thing he knew he was reaching out, brushing a lock of hair from Steve's forehead and gently rubbing a gauntlet-covered thumb back and forth over where he remembered the wound should be.

"Tony? You okay?" Steve softly asked, reaching for the hand by his forehead and giving it a slight squeeze.

"You were the one who was dying. Bleeding in my arms. I couldn't find a pulse. JARVIS can barely detect a heartbeat. You spent days in intensive care. You flat lined, Steve. Twice. And you're asking me if I'm okay?" Tony's voice was barely a whisper but there's turmoil there, emotions that were leaving him raw and bare.

"You went back and fought Red Skull. You took him down. Hard. You leveled two skyscrapers in the process and depleted your arc reactor JARVIS had to reboot you. You exiled yourself to Malibu and didn't talk to anyone. The second time I flat lined, you started drawing up schematics for a death ray. You hardly ate; you barely slept, didn't do anything but stare into space and occasionally threw stuff. And you never cleaned my blood off your armor. So, I'm asking if you're okay, Tony." Steve said, tone almost accusing but mostly just sad and concerned.

"H-how?" Tony just stared, mouth agape. He had done all those. He wasn't proud of it, but he didn't know how else to react.

"JARVIS, kept me updated, too." Steve told him, voice soft this time as if defeated. Tony was calling JARVIS a traitor in his own head.

"It's a reminder." Tony said, indicating the still tainted armor he was wearing, the dried blood, fading and less visible and red now. "Of how I almost failed you."

"You saved my life, Tony." Steve said, full of conviction. Tony didn't fail. "I'm okay now. Please be okay, too." It was the plea that got to him.

"I swore I'd bring the world to its knees for you."

"I know."

"And I would have."

"I know."

And that was that.

**-OOOOO-**

They arrived at the mansion with an irate looking Doctor Banner standing on Tony's platform waiting for them this time. What was it with people commandeering his platform when Tony needed it the most? Tony was contemplating putting up a 'do not obstruct' sign all over it next time.

"I asked him to." Steve uttered quickly to Bruce as soon as they landed, anticipating the berating that was about to come their way.

Bruce was giving Tony an angry glare the whole time but softened when Steve took the responsibility of being out in a cold night, with injuries and flying around the city without telling his doctor.

"Fine." Bruce said with a sigh. "Just get to bed. That means you, too, Tony." He went on, going back inside, grumbling. He passed Clint and Thor by the sliding doors, both with the same irate look. They had been worried.

"Hope that date was worth it." Clint called out while Thor just nodded in agreement and turned to follow Bruce and Clint back inside.

"It wasn't a date." Tony called out.

"Of course it was." Natasha's voice came from behind Tony and Steve, startling them. Where in the world did she come from? There was nothing but the edge of the platform behind them. "Ask Steve." She added to Tony with a wink and walked past them with a sly smile.

"That was a date?" Tony asked Steve after watching Natasha retreat indoors. Then, "You call that a date?" Less incredulous this time and more mocking.

"Well, it was the best I can do when I have to ambush my date into going on a date with me." Steve told him, half-embarrassed half-slightly offended.

"Well, next time tell me if you wanna go on a date again. I'll take you to a _real_ one." Tony said, extricating Steve from himself and headed inside in haste. It was not a cowardly retreat. It was more of a strategic one. Or so he told himself.

_A date?_ As far as dates went, this had been the most emotional one. Not that it wasn't pleasant, he still did enjoy dinner on top of the Statue of Liberty and the ride home had been filled with sheepish grins and relaxed banter between them. There were soft touches, concerned looks and tentative smiles, too.

Oh, who was he kidding? Of course it was a date.

That realization hit halfway to the door. Tony's not so cowardly retreat had been halted. So close. _Turn around,_he told himself. Problem was, he still couldn't.

"What, no kiss?" Steve called out, loud and clear in the still night. That made Tony turn around. "C'mon, Tony. You kissed me when I almost drowned, kissed me when I was being sentimental, you kissed me when I thought you were dying, kissed me when I was walking into danger and kissed me when you thought I was dying." Steve was walking slowly towards him. "And now you won't kiss me when the right time calls for it? You always do things the contradicting way do you, Tony?" Steve went on, stopping in his tracks and folding his arms to pout at Tony.

And because he's good at being contradicting, Tony's only response was to surge forward and grab Steve by the arms, intent on planting a sure kiss on his lips. There was an audible _snick_ as he leaned forward and Tony was surprised to find bare lips making contact with Steve's soft ones. Turned out his imp of an AI had slid the faceplate up without him knowing.

Steve smiled around the kiss and looked up into Tony's eyes as they broke apart. Tony loved that he's got the slight height and size advantage on Steve when he's in the suit.

"Hi." Steve said softly, genuinely glad to see Tony face to face. He was hiding behind the armor the whole night and Steve never called him on it and if it wasn't for JARVIS deviously lifting the faceplate, he still would have been hiding.

Still (conniving AI aside), it was nice to know that JARVIS had his best interest at heart, and judging from the snickers and catcalls coming from inside his mansion, (conspiring teammates aside), there were at least four other people out there looking out for him. The man in his arms on the top of that list.

He pulled Steve close against him and kissed him again, deeply this time. And for the first time in years, Tony Stark was, - by every definition of the word –

_Okay_.

The End.

Thanks for reading.

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A/N: Sorry about the bringing back Red Skull thing, and his modifications and what-nots. With my lack of knowledge on anything comics, he's the only super villain I know that could work on this one. Again, Thank you so much for reading. 'Til next fic.


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